Quantum well multijunction photovoltaic cell
- Albuquerque, NM
A monolithic, quantum well, multilayer photovoltaic cell comprises a p-n junction comprising a p-region on one side and an n-region on the other side, each of which regions comprises a series of at least three semiconductor layers, all p-type in the p-region and all n-type in the n-region; each of said series of layers comprising alternating barrier and quantum well layers, each barrier layer comprising a semiconductor material having a first bandgap and each quantum well layer comprising a semiconductor material having a second bandgap when in bulk thickness which is narrower than said first bandgap, the barrier layers sandwiching each quantum well layer and each quantum well layer being sufficiently thin that the width of its bandgap is between said first and second bandgaps, such that radiation incident on said cell and above an energy determined by the bandgap of the quantum well layers will be absorbed and will produce an electrical potential across said junction.
- Research Organization:
- AT & T CORP
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4688068
- OSTI ID:
- 866347
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Quantum well multijunction photovoltaic cell
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absorbed
alternating
bandgap
bandgaps
barrier
barrier layer
barrier layers
bulk
cell
cell comprises
comprises
comprising
comprising alternating
determined
electrical
electrical potential
energy
incident
junction
layer
layer comprising
layers
material
monolithic
multijunction
multijunction photovoltaic
multilayer
n-region
n-type
narrower
p-n
p-n junction
p-region
p-type
photovoltaic
photovoltaic cell
potential
produce
quantum
radiation
radiation incident
regions
regions comprise
sandwiching
semiconductor
semiconductor layer
semiconductor layers
semiconductor material
series
sufficiently
thickness
width